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Foreign investment in Catalonia up 58% in 2015

2015 was the second best year, in terms of foreign investment, since the historical series began in 1993. Catalonia attracted €4.8 billion this past year, 57.8% more than the foreign investment registered in 2014, and only exceeded by the record €4.9 billion registered in 2010. Thus, Catalonia attracted 22% of the foreign investment received in the whole of Spain, second only to Madrid, which attracted 46.5% of the international investment. However, foreign investment in Madrid decreased by 1.2% this past 2015 in comparison to 2014. These data indicates that Catalonia’s push for independence is not dissuading foreign investors, on the contrary; during the first trimester of 2015, Catalonia was the leading region in Continental Western Europe in terms of investment.

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21 March 2016 02:28 PM

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ACN

Barcelona (CNA).- Foreign investment in Catalonia reached a record €4.8 billionin 2015 and made it the second best year since the historical series began in 1993. The good results of this past year were only exceeded in 2010, when Catalonia registered a record €4.9 billion worth foreign investment. Thus, Catalonia attracted 22% of the foreign investment received in the whole of Spain in 2015, second only to Madrid, which attracted 46.5% of the international investment. These figures indicate that Catalonia’s push for independence is not provoking foreign investors to choose other regions, on the contrary: during the first trimester of 2015, Catalonia was the leading region in Continental Western Europe in terms of investment, both in total amount of investments attracted and in the amount of jobs generated. Moreover, the growth registered in Catalonia is much higher than the Spanish average.

Far from dissuading foreign investors, as many have claimed, the largest business organisation in Catalonia, Foment del Treball, noted in its 'Report of the Economic Situation' that Catalonia's push for independence hasn't affected foreign investment in the territory. On the contrary, Catalonia attracted 22% of the foreign investment received in the whole of Spain in 2015, a year when another massive pro-independence rally took place on the 11th of September and Catalan Elections were held on the 27th of the same month.

During the first half of 2015, Catalonia attracted 1.959 billion euros, which represents a remarkable increase of 281.2% in comparison to the same period last year. Also during this period, Catalonia was the leading region in Continental Western Europe in terms of investment, both in total amount of investments attracted and in the amount of jobs generated. In the second trimester, foreign investment in Catalonia increased 422% and reached €1.3 billion, five times more than the same period last year.

Although Madrid is still the first Autonomous Community in Spain in terms of foreign investment, it attracted 46.5% of the international investment this past 2015, the €10.093 billion secured was slightly lower than the figure for 2014 (-1.2%).

Barcelona, the best city in Europe for foreign investment

The Financial Times report FDi European Cities and Regions of the future 2016/2017, which multinational companies use to analyse future investment projects, recognised Catalonia as the best Southern European region to invest in 2016 and 2017. Moreover, Barcelona leads the ‘best European cities to invest’ ranking, due to its reported strategy to attract foreign investment. The Financial Times’ report also emphasised Catalonia’s plans to develop its infrastructure and its digital presence.

To elaborate this ranking, the Financial Times’s FDi Intelligence division collects information on 300 cities and 150 regions in six different fields: economic potential, the working environment, profitability, infrastructure, favourable business environment and their strategy to attract foreign investment.

Outstanding investments to come

At the end of 2015, multinational Nestlé confirmed its investment to set up a plant in Girona (in the north of Catalonia) for the production of their Dolce Gusto products. In the same vein, Easyjet announced to move their operating base from Madrid to Barcelona next year in order "to be more competitive".

The North American giant Amazon has chosen the Catalan capital to set up its first express delivery centre in Europe. The aim is to attend to customers’ needs quicker and deliver products on the same day.This operation is to complement the creation of Amazon’s biggest logistics centre in the South of Europe, which the company announced it is to build in El Prat de Llobregat, close to Barcelona El Prat Airport.

Earlier this month, Zurich Insurance Group announced it is to establish its global data centre ‘Big Data’ in Barcelona. Zurich sources confirmed to CNA that the global data centre will create 200 jobs, to be added to the 250 positions that the Zurich Group has already created in Barcelona. The company explained that while it has not yet established a date to launch this venture, the global data centre is devised as a two-year project.